Unfancied Algeria through to last-16

Slimani scores a vital goal to take his team through to the knockouts of Brazil 2014 courtesy a 1-1 draw with Russia

Thu Jun 26 2014 22:22:59 GMT+0000

Slimani scored that vital goal to see his side through [Getty Images]

Islam Slimani headed an ecstatic Algeria into the last-16 of the World Cup for the first time with a 1-1 draw against Russia that dumped Fabio Capello's team out of the tournament.

On a momentous night for the North Africans, who were the last team through to the knockout rounds with Belgium already qualified as Group H leaders, Algeria recovered from an early Alexander Kokorin goal to advance.

The point, in a tense match at the Baixada Arena with everything still at stake and 2018 hosts Russia needing a win to go through at Algeria's expense, was all the 'Desert Foxes' needed to make history.

With Belgium finishing on nine points, Algeria, who face Germany for a place in the quarter-finals, ended with four to Russia's two and South Korea's one.

The draw was all they deserved but it came after an early setback, with Kokorin meeting a beautifully-flighted Dmitry Kombarov cross to nod in a perfectly-executed header in the sixth minute.

Algeria, whose Bosnian-born coach Vahid Halilhodzic had called the match the most important in the country's football history, rarely threatened in the first half and looked a shadow of the side who thumped four goals past the Koreans.

It all changed in the second half, though, with Algeria looking far sharper before the goal and then resisting the pressure.

Slimani seized his chance in the 60th minute with a powerful header at the near post from a Yacine Brahimi free kick that Akinfeev failed to reach.